Box assembly for use with a storage tank



N0V- 14, 1961 F. P scuLLY BOX ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A STORAGE TANK Filed July 14, 1959 2 Shets-Sheet 1 v M A a W Wm 4 O O 2 AW l 2 8 6 4 7127/. ,Q W l ,m n l r nllll" uwgn I wv I mu /Al l W WW www am? Qing@ z'eab/J y PME, maf-,W

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F. P. scULLY 3,008,603

BOX ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A STORAGE TANK Filed July 14, 1959 2 shets-sheet 2 Nov. 14, 1961 za/. @if/Illy MMP y @05, MM @de Mz'wf 3,008,603 BOX ASSEMBLY -FOR USE WITH A STORAGE TANK Frank P. Scully, Belmont, Mass., assigner tov Scully Slgnal Company, Melrose, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 14, 1959, Ser. No. 827,010 6 Claims. (Cl. 220-86) nited States Patent O rice zontal cross-section, but it will be understoodrthat `its exterior configuration could be varied if desired. The engaging threads of pipe 4 and box 10 are tapered slightly permitting the two elements to be screwedtightly together. The interior thread ofthe box continues up f wardly as at 11 so that it may receive an `annular insert not extend above the surface lest passersbytrip ,thereon unduly large and expensive; in others they have not been so arranged as tol provide for'easy connection by thehose coming from the tank truck when the underground tank is to be filled. l

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a so-called box yassembly which may be connected to the entrance end of the fill pipe of a storage tank of such construction that it will be substantially flush with the ground when closed, thereby to eliminate the possibility of a person tripping thereon. to have the box assembly so arranged that it may include as a part thereof an annular element interiorly threaded with a special type thread which will receive either the cap or the end of a piping element connected to the delivery hose of a tank truck. By the construction that will hereinafter be described, it is possible to adapt different sized box assemblies to receive uniform sized piping elements without in any way affecting the ability of theolosure cap when in place to be substantially flush with the sidewalk or other surface in which the box assembly is imbedded.

These and other objects will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in whichj FIG. 1 is a vertical section showing the box assembly in place in the sidewalk, driveway or other surface, the lill pipe leading to the tank, and the tank, with the closure cap in place.

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1 except that the cap has been removed and in its place is the discharge end of the supply line.

FIG. 3 is -a plan View of the annular insert which may' be provided in different exterior dimensions to be received by the interior threads of ydifferent sized boxes.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cap shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a vertical section of the cap taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. l, there is shown -a storage tank 2, having a till pipe 4 intight threaded relation thereto. The upper entering end of the ll pipe is threaded as at 6 and terminates a short distance below the ground level as at 8.

To the upper entrance end of the fill pipe is screwed a box assembly 10 which is preferably circular in hori-` A second object `is Y 12 which `is threaded exteriorly'as at 14 and interiorly; as at 16. This insert may be suppliedvin different exterior `diameters but will have a uniform 4sized female thread 16 which wi-ll correspond tothe male thread on the end of the filling connection of the tank truck.

The upper end of insert 12 terminates in an'V annular surface y18, which surface, when the insert 12 has been screwed tightly into the threads 11 of the box, will preferably be somewhat above a flat annular shoulder'20 of the box located at the upper end of the box thre-ads 11.

The box terminates at its upper end in an upstanding circular llange 22, the upper surface 24 of which will be placed flush with the ground levelA 26.

The lill pipe will normally be closed by a cap 28 which hasa downwardly extending threaded projection 30, the thread of Vwhich is adapted to cooperate with .the thread 16 of the insert 12.

In a preferred form of cap, the surface slopes downwardly from the center toward the periphery at -a slight angle to terminate at `approximately the surface 24 of llange 22. In this way thelikelihood of a pedestrian tripping on the cap is minimized.

FIG. 2 illustrates the arrangement of the parts when lling of the tank is to be undertaken. The cap 28 has lbeen removed and in its place is screwed the delivery end 32r of the hose coming from the tank truck. The part 3 2 Will ordinarily be a tubularV metallic element having a thread 34 corresponding to the thread on the cap 28 so as to make proper engagement with thread 16` o'f'in?Vv sert 12.

In order to facilitate installation and removal of insert 12, the construction shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has been found effective. The thread 16, which starts at one end at 36, is cut away at the opposite side as at 38 to provide a semi-circular notch. This notch coupled with a corresponding notch 40 located between the point 36 at the start of the thread and point 42 at the end of the thread provides means for the reception of a Spanner or similar tool for screwing the insert into the box or removing it therefrom.

The cap 28, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may have a plurality of angularly spaced depressions 44 in its upper surface. These depressions are adapted to receive the same Spanner which m-ay be used in the installation and removal of insert 12 so that the cap in turn can be applied or removed as required.l The upper center portion of the cap has a cylindrical depression 46 in which may be placed a thin disk (not shown) bearing advertising material, identification means or instructions, as desired. The disk may be held in position by riveting thereover the small projection 48 that extends upwardly through a central hole in the disk.

. To insure that the end of the fill pipe be properly sealed by the cap, a washer 50 may be applied to the under side of the periphery of the cap, which washer will rest tightly against the annular surface 18 of the insert when the cap is in screwed down position. A si1nilar washer 52 shown in FIG. 2 may be used on the end of the filling connection 32 so that when it is screwed into the insert there will be a liquid tight joint.

In the event that in screwing insert 12 tightly into box 10, the surface 1S should go below surface 20, the width.

of cap 28 and washer 50 is such that the washer will then seat on surface 20 to seal the till pipe.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure which `do not constitu-te departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: Y

1. A box assembly for use with Ia storage tank cornprising a fill pipe leading to said tank, the entering end of said ll pipe being threaded, a box in the form of a short sleeve correspondingly threaded and screwed on the end of said ll pipe with the upper portion of said box internally threaded and extending above the end of said till pipe, the upper end of said box having an annular shoulder surrounded by a cylindrical upstanding flange having a flat upper circular surface, an insert in the forrn f a short cylindrical element with an annular surface on its upper end, said insert exteriorly and interiorly threaded and screwed into the upper portion of said box with said annular surface within said flange and below said upper circular surface, and a cap having a downwardly extending threaded projection adapted to be placed in screw threaded engagement with the interior thread of said element, said cap having a circumferential rim the under side of which when said cap is in Screwed down position makes sealing engagement with said annular surface and overliessaid annular shoulder.

2. A box assembly for use with a storage tank comprising a ll'pipe leading to said tank, the entering end of said ill pipe being threaded, a box in the form of a short sleeve correspondingly threaded and screwed on the end of said ll pipe with the upper portion of said box internally threaded and extending above the end of said ll pipeT-the upper end of said box having an annular shoulder surrounded by a cylindrical upstanding ange having a flat upper circular surface, an insert inthe form of a short cylindrical element with an annular surface on its upper end, said insert exteriorly and interiorly threaded and screwed into the upper portion of said'box with said annular surface within said flange and below said upper circular surface, and a cap having -a down- Wardly extending threaded proiection adapted to be placed in screw threaded engagement with the interior thread of said element, said cap having a circumferential rim which overlies said annular surface and said annular shoulder and which in screwed down position makes sealing engagement with said annular surface or said annular shoulder, said cap having an upper surface the periphery of which when said cap is in closed position is Within the confines of and substantially on a level with the upper circular surface of said ange.

3. A box assembly for use with Va storage tank as in claim 2, in which said box is surrounded by material the upper level of Which constitutes a walking surface, and said Walking surface is substantially iush with the upper surface of said flange.

4. A box assembly for use with a storage tank as in claim 2, the central upper part of said cap being slightly convex upwardly and having a plurality of radially spaced tool receiving cavities therein to facilitate removal or application of said cap.

5. A box assembly -as set forth in claim 2, the interior thread of said insert being cut away to receive a tool therein to facilitate insertion or removal of said insert.

6. A box assembly as set foi-thin claim 5, the central upper part of said cap having a plurality of radially spaced tool receiving cavities therein to facilitate removal or application of said cap.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,239,453 Block Sept. ll, 1917 2,691,384 Mueller et al Oct. l2, 1954 2,784,561 Postlewait Mar. 12, 1957 2,847,140 Voss Aug. 12, 1958 2,866,473 Schutter Dec. 30, 1958 2.911.001 Fuller NGV. 3, 1959 

